


Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

by SIM (Evaine)



Series: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun [1]
Category: Trixie Belden Mysteries - Julie Campbell Tatham & Kathryn Kenny
Genre: Gen, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-05-10
Updated: 2009-05-10
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evaine/pseuds/SIM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the story of Trixie's cousin Hallie and is still a WIP.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hallie's Blog - April 12

**  
RAVINGS OR REVERIES - Hallie's Blog   
**

  


April 12

Well, it’s a done deal. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life, as the saying goes. What a stupid, trite saying! Of course it’s the first day of the rest of my life, what else would it be? I suppose it’s the sort of thing that’s supposed to put me in a positive frame of mind, but to be honest most of these sayings leave me rolling my eyes in exasperation. My brother tells me that lately I have no soul…who knows, maybe he’s right? It seems such a long time since anything was able to stir me from the apathy that’s gripping me.

Once upon a time, I thought that getting my degree and beginning to make my own way in the world would be the best thing that could ever happen to me. Hasn’t worked out at all as I planned. Talk about a shock when I realized that the world was not about to run my way just because I wanted it to! When I was twenty-three, the future was rosy. I was graduating at the top of my class, with honours. I had the greatest boyfriend in the world and we were talking about marriage. Three terrific job offers to choose from. Now I’m twenty-five and it’s all gone to hell in a hand basket.

But enough of the pity party. I promised both my brothers that I’d start trying to look on the bright side of things. And in spite of everything, I do try and keep my promises.  
So tomorrow I’m heading off halfway across the country. There’s this fellow in New York who wants me to do some work for him, and friends and family to reconnect with. It seems a lifetime ago since I saw them all, and to be honest, I haven’t really kept up with all the news. It was so much easier when we were teenagers and I’d exchange long, meandering letters with my cousin and the friends she introduced me to. But time passes and somehow the long letters turned into short notes and eventually into birthday and Christmas cards and getting the family news through my mother.

I have to admit that there’s a part of me that’s looking forward to the whole exercise. The job sounds exciting, far more exciting than anything I was doing at that snooty firm that hired me out of college, at any rate. It will be _my_ project and _my_ project alone. It’s scary, but I think I’m up to the challenge. Mom and Pops are thrilled for me – maybe some of their optimism is rubbing off on me after all? Personally, I think they’re just happy that something has managed to pique my interest after all these months. I wish they wouldn’t worry so much, but that’s parents for you. Guess I’ll always be their baby girl, even when I’m in my rocking chair at the home, gumming my meals. Now there’s a pretty image for you. Heehee!

My new car is packed up with most of my worldly goods. I’m actually looking forward to the drive. Stocked up on a bunch of new CDs for the trip. Why is driving more pleasant when you have your tunes with you? Pops will send on the rest of the stuff when I get my own place. My cousin is looking for an apartment for me, so hopefully it won’t be too long. I like my own space.

So don’t worry if I’m not around for a week or two. I figure it’ll take me that long to get access to an Internet connection.

Right now, I’m off to bed, but since I’m too antsy and anxious to sleep, I’m taking the latest Tom Clancy with me. With a modicum of luck, I’ll get a few hours of ZZZ’s before I hit the road in the morning.

Oh, I’ll gladly accept any positive vibes you care to send my way, having run rather low on my own reserve. Thanks!  



	2. Making an Entrance Belden Style

  
I pulled my car over to the side of the road and braked to a stop at the bottom of the long driveway. I had been on the road for five days, twenty-five hundred miles, and I was ready for some home-cooked food, a comfortable bed with non-starched sheets, and a long, hot, lingering soak in the bathtub. I knew all these wants could be taken care of quite amply in the cozy farmhouse at the end of the driveway, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to drive those last three hundred feet.

My road trip had been fantastic. The sun shone each day, and the temperatures were warm and comfortable for the middle of April. I cruised down the highway, checking the scenery and singing along with all my favorite tunes, refusing to dwell on either the past or the future. It was as if I was in a little bubble suspended in time where I could just enjoy being alive. And I had. I loved my new car, I loved to drive and I loved to sing. What was there not to enjoy?

However, once I parked my car in front of the garage and entered the house, I would no longer be by myself in my little bubble. Family was waiting for me in there. Reality was waiting for me in there. The rest of my life was waiting for me in there. Had I made the right decision?

“Halena Belden, stop being such a dolt!” I banged my palms against the steering wheel, annoyed by my sudden reticence. Knut, my elder brother, was right. There _was_ a schizoid side to my personality. Sometimes I was impulsive as…well, as impulsive as my cousin, Trixie. Other times I could be a real chicken shit. A kinder person would have said I was indecisive, but since when are brothers kind to their kid sisters? I don’t think it’s in their job descriptions.

After what seemed the longest ten minutes I had ever experienced, I heaved a great sigh and threw the car into first gear – no automatic transmission for me – and turned into the driveway. It was too late for second, third or even fourth thoughts. It was time for me to stop dithering and get on with it. Besides, if I was really lucky, I’d be just in time for supper, and Aunt Helen’s meals were the best I had ever tasted in my entire life.

“I’m here!” I announced, swinging open the back door and stepping into the kitchen. We Beldens never stand on ceremony, especially with family.

“Hallie!” My youngest cousin, Bobby, was the first one to reach me and enfold me in a huge bear hug. The last time I had seen him he’d been a scrawny fifteen-year old. That was three years ago. Just past his eighteenth birthday he was a large, handsome young man with an unruly mop of blond curls that was in desperate need of a trim and blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. I wondered how many hearts he had broken in this, his senior year of high school.

“Hallie, honey, we were wondering if you’d make it in time for supper.” My Aunt Helen was next in line to hug me. She was my godmother and my name, Halena, was a Greek derivation of her name. My parents were very into offbeat names: Halena, Capleton – my brother named after a 150 year-old mine in Canada, and Knutson – my mother’s maiden name. I guess their own names of Harold and Brenda (Pops calls her Biff) were too every day for them.

“I was _praying_ I was in time for supper, Aunt Helen.” I chuckled, hugging her back tightly. It was obvious where Bobby got his blond good looks from, because she was still a gorgeous woman. I adored my Aunt Helen. “I dream about your pies on a regular basis,” I told her.

“And I just made a blueberry one this afternoon.” She smiled up at me and gave me another quick squeeze before releasing me.

“Welcome back to Sleepyside, Hallie. It’s been far too long,” my Uncle Peter said, pulling me into another bear hug. Uncle Pete is my father’s younger brother and they look very much alike. I take after their side of the family, dark hair, dark eyes and tall. Of course now, both Pops and Uncle Pete were developing grey wings in the darkness at their temples. It suited them both, I thought.

“Thanks, Uncle Pete. I’m glad to be back, I think.” I gave him a rueful grin as he released me. “A change this big in life is always kind of scary, isn’t it?” I guess I was looking for some reassurance from him that I had indeed made the right choice by uprooting myself.

“It is,” he agreed, understanding in his dark eyes. “Exciting too.” He gave my shoulder an affectionate squeeze and I began to relax somewhat.

“We were just sitting down to supper, Hallie,” Aunt Helen said, “why don’t you freshen up while Bobby sets your place at the table, and then we can get caught up on all the news while we eat?” It sounded like a plan to me. I was starved, and the kitchen smelled so good! The kitchen at Crabapple Farm always smells good. I swear, a girl could put on a couple of pounds just by breathing the air!

Over a totally scrumptious supper, I brought everyone up to date on the doings of my parents and my brothers. Mom and Pops had decided to stay home for the summer, no mining conferences this year. They just wanted to relax and enjoy their grandchildren. My brother Knut and his wife, Gloria, had become parents for the second time just before last Thanksgiving, giving Mom her longed-for granddaughter. My nephew, Jack, was three now, and a handful, so Gloria would appreciate Mom being around to help out. Pops, I knew, wanted to spend some time with my other brother, Cap. Cap was working in forestry management for the federal government, and had decided to take a sabbatical from his job to complete his Master’s degree in forestry. Pops, even though he was a miner to his bones, had a respect for the land that seemed to be a Belden family trait. He wanted to see if what Cap was working on could be applied to his own field of endeavor. He firmly believed that there was a way to mine without destroying the countryside. Pops and Cap working together was often loud and emotional, but they both enjoyed it, even thrived on it; and neither would deny that they often learned from each other.

In turn, I was brought up to speed on the lives of my cousins. Mart and his wife, Diana, had bought a pub in downtown Sleepyside a year ago and were making quite a success of it. Between the pub and their growing family, they were quite the busy couple.

My oldest cousin, Brian, was due home at any time to start up a new job with Dr. Ferris, Sleepyside’s longtime resident physician. The town was growing and the good doctor had seen the need for a teen clinic, physical and mental health to be its priority. He needed a young man to run it and Brian had jumped at the chance to put his EMT training to work with his psychology degree. He had been working in New York City for one of the larger hospitals, and he quite openly admitted that he longed for the quieter rhythm of life in Sleepyside. Aunt Helen was thrilled that he was coming home to stay.

My cousin Trixie was in the final stages of opening her own detective agency with her best friend, Honey Wheeler. The years hadn’t changed that. The two of them had decided to be detectives within a week of their first meeting, back when they were thirteen, and that youthful dream was finally coming true.

“A detective agency in Sleepyside?” I couldn’t quite grasp the concept. Sleepyside had always seemed to me to be the epitome of small-town America. What did it need a detective agency for?

“Hallie, things have changed quite a bit over the past ten years. The town has grown to about three times the size it once was. Many people wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city have moved out here, much as the Wheelers did all those years ago. Everything has grown with it. Including the crime rate.” Uncle Pete shook his head ruefully. “Trixie and Honey have done their homework. Unfortunately, there is a place for them here now.”

“It’s true,” Bobby offered, polishing off the last of his first piece of blueberry pie. “My friend, Terry Lynch, had his Honda Civic stolen just last week. It was a sweet little car, and he’d done a lot of mods on it. The insurance will pay for it, but man, he loved that car.” He grinned suddenly. “I, on the other hand, don’t have to worry about anything like that. My battered old Skylark would never appeal to any kind of car thief, even a down on his luck one!” He chuckled.

“What about Dan? What’s he been up to?” I asked, marveling at all the changes that had taken place in such a short time.

“He’s working over in White Plains. He and Honey’s cousin, Ben Riker, opened up a law practice a couple of years ago. Ben works mostly corporate law, and Dan takes care of criminal cases. His clients are usually youngsters who have gotten themselves into trouble and need somebody to stand up for them. They make a good pair, the two of them.” Aunt Helen began to clear the table, but only after serving her son another healthy slice of pie. “They’ve both come a long way from the spoiled, rich practical joker and the troubled gang-boy from the city. We’re all very proud of them.”

“All you kids have come a long way,” Uncle Pete observed. “Who’d have thought you’d become an architect, Hallie? Jim showed me some of the work that you did for that firm you were at, seeing as he’s asked me to serve on the board of directors of his school. You have a fresh and imaginative talent. We’re all very anxious to see your vision for Jim’s school.”

“I still can’t believe that he wants me to do the whole thing.” I shook my head. I was really quite young and inexperienced for such a project, but Jim Frayne had convinced me that I was the one he wanted to bring his dream to life, and I had yet to meet the person who could stand up to Frayne when he was under a full head of steam. Well, maybe Trixie could, on a good day.

“Jim has faith in you. We all do, Hallie. He wants a new, young, innovative approach to what is a new, young and innovative idea. He doesn’t want his school to be seen as an institution; after all, it’s intended to be home for many of its students. You can supply that vision. You have the talent and the know-how to do things the way he wants them done. And you’re not afraid to invest your ideas with emotions.” Aunt Helen fixed me with a level blue gaze. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

I was about to reply, when the back door banged open and total mayhem ensued. Little people had invaded the Crabapple Farm kitchen. I would have sworn there were at least a dozen of the little dark-haired whirlwinds swarming about the room, but in reality there were only three.

“Grandmoms!” One of them shrieked, throwing himself at Aunt Helen, who braced herself against the counter in order to scoop him up and not lose her balance in the process.

“Grandad!” Another one hollered and launched himself into Uncle Pete’s lap as he pushed away from the table.

The third little tornado danced around the table chanting in a singsong voice, “We’re here! We’re here! We’ve come for dessert! We’re here! We’re here! We’ve come for dessert!”

As an extra, added attraction, a young golden retriever yipped at the chanter’s heels in between chasing his tail and trying to clamber into Bobby’s lap. My cousin, of course, laughed uproariously, enjoying the chaos of the situation.

“Boys, calm down. Puh-leese!” A beautiful young woman with long raven-black hair and violet eyes entered the kitchen at a far more sedate pace. She saw me seated at the table and emitted an unearthly screech that sounded somewhat like my own name.

I barely had the chance to get to my feet before I was enfolded in a huge hug from my friend, Diana Lynch Belden, mother to the three twirling tops in running shoes. I think I may even have screeched in reply, using the mode of communication of young women all over the world upon greeting one another after a long absence.

“The Martin Beldens have arrived,” my cousin Mart announced as he strode into the kitchen and closed the door behind him. “Batten down the hatches, folks.” He untangled me from his wife’s embrace and crushed me in a bear hug of his own. “You’re looking in the peak of health, Cousin Hallie,” he said, holding me at arm’s length a moment later.

“Dessert. We need dessert!” The dancing little person announced loudly, echoed by the one in Aunt Helen’s arms and the one in Uncle Pete’s lap. The dog had thankfully calmed down enough to just sit there and thump his tail happily on the linoleum floor.

“Boys, before dessert, you must sit quietly at the table and be introduced to your cousin,” Diana said firmly, ushering the loose one into a nearby chair. Amongst giggles and squirms, the boys were finally seated around the table, all three gazing expectantly at me from identical pairs of Belden blue eyes. Identical except for the fact that one of them was framed by small wire-rimmed glasses. Triplets three, I marveled.

“Boys, this is your cousin Hallie. Hallie, these are my boys. The one next to you is Graydon, the middle one. Next to Dad is Max, the youngest. And next to his Uncle Bobby is Connor. Or as I like to think of them, Huey, Dewey and Louie.” Mart introduced proudly.

“She’s too old to be a cousin, Daddy.” Max observed. He was the one with the glasses.

“Yeah, she should be an aunt, like Auntie Trix,” Graydon agreed with a solemn nod of his dark head.

“Can’t she be Auntie Hallie?” Connor asked. “We need an Auntie Hallie, I think.” He smiled a smile that was a cross between Mart’s cocky grin and Diana’s beautiful smile and I was smitten.

“However do you tell them apart?” I demanded, after assuring them that I would be pleased as punch to be Auntie Hallie.

“I’m still not sure after four years,” Uncle Pete told me. “Of course, Max’s glasses help, but he’s been known to dispose of them upon occasion, especially when there’s mischief afoot.” He tousled his grandson’s dark curls affectionately.

“Only Diana is right one hundred percent of the time,” Mart admitted. “But I don’t think she even knows how she does it.” He gazed at his wife, and even after five years of marriage, it was apparent that she was the light of his life and he didn’t care who knew it.

“I honestly don’t. Must be a Mom thing,” Diana giggled with a small shrug of her shoulders. “I used to put them in different colours when they were younger, to help everyone out: blue for Connor, red for Graydon and green for Max. But then they got wise and started to change their clothes once they were out of my sight.”

“It’s fun to mix everyone up,” Connor piped up as he watched his grandmother eagerly as she served out the desert. I could just imagine the havoc these three caused wherever they went.

“When we go for riding lessons with Regan, he makes us wear numbers on our hats,” Max said, smiling at the plate his grandmother set in front of him. There was no denying that this child was Mart’s.

“We _never_ play tricks on Regan. If we do, we can’t ever ride. He don’t stand for any nonsense!” Graydon said seriously. “No nonsense, boys. No silliness. Or else, no more horses!” He did a passable imitation of the Wheeler’s groom who I remembered vividly from my visits to Crabapple Farm in years past. He even put his hands on his hips and scowled, much to everyone’s amusement.

While the boys enjoyed their dessert, I marveled at how happy both Mart and Diana appeared. That’s the way it should be, I decided. It was obvious that they were very much in love and that they adored their identical offspring. Just the thought of raising these three while at the same time running a successful pub exhausted me, but neither my cousin or his wife were the worse for wear. As a matter of fact, it seemed that they thrived on the chaos and activity. They had married young, after being an exclusive couple since their mid-teens. It was inevitable they had said, and why put off the inevitable? Mart, who at one time had wanted to be a farmer, had changed his mind upon starting college and opted to take business courses at NYU. Diana had done part of her art degree, but then dropped out of college to work when they decided to get married. She had found a decent-paying job at an interior decorating company and was able to support both herself and Mart quite well. Then she surprised everyone by becoming pregnant soon after the wedding. When it was discovered that she was having triplets, both her mother and Aunt Helen had stepped in and convinced the young couple that they had to accept help from their families. It was all well and good to be proud and want to make it on their own, but Diana’s family was quite wealthy and could afford to help out financially, and Helen insisted on helping take care of the babies when they were born. So Diana’s father paid for a nice three-bedroom apartment for the young couple in Sleepyside and ensured that a housekeeper paid a visit twice a week. Aunt Helen was on the spot every day near the end of Diana’s pregnancy and for most of the boys’ first year of life. And when she wasn’t there, Di’s mother was.

When Mart finally graduated from NYU, he went to work managing a restaurant in White Plains and found exactly how much his dreams had changed from the days when he wanted to be a farmer. He wanted to run his own restaurant, marrying his love of food and good times with the business sense he seemed to have inherited from his banker father. So, with Mr. Lynch as a silent partner, and his father investing a little as well, he found a run down restaurant in the middle of Sleepyside and began to build his dream. He and Diana sank hours, days, and months into the renovation of that eatery. When _Belden’s Pub_ had opened its doors a little over a year ago, it was an instant success. Modeled on a typical English pub, it soon became one of the most popular watering holes in the area. Whether one wanted a terrific meal or just a place to hang out and have a couple of beers, it was the place to go. No loud music, no pretentious menus, it was a place to kick back and relax. I was anxious to visit and try it out for myself.

Yes, I was envious of Mart and Diana’s obvious happiness and success. Their lives hadn’t gone to hell in a hand basket at the first sign of trouble. As a matter of fact, it seemed that the obstacles put in their way had only served to make them stronger. I didn’t begrudge them their happiness, but I sure did envy it.

“Graydon, are you feeding that dog underneath the table?” Diana asked suspiciously, dragging me from my thoughts and back to the ruckus around the table.

“Goofball likes Grandmoms's pies too, Mommy!” The little boy protested.

“Dogs don’t eat blueberry pies,” Diana reasoned, while I stifled a giggle. Trust Mart’s family’s dog to be named Goofball.

“But he likes them, Mommy!” Connor eagerly clambered down from his chair, his half-cleaned plate clutched in one chubby hand, intent on helping his brother spoil their puppy.

“Connor…” Mart began, then jumped to his feet as Max somehow managed to knock over his nearly full glass of milk. A loud wail of despair filled the kitchen. That such a sound could issue from such a small human being totally amazed me. The dog looked from the plate that had just been set in front of him, to the crying child and back again, then began to howl in perfect counterpoint. Aunt Helen got to her feet and retrieved the roll of paper towels from the counter and calmly handed them to her son, blue eyes dancing in amusement. Diana divided her attention from one crying son to the two other protesting ones, scooping up the desert plate as she did, which caused the dog to howl even louder. Graydon and Connor stuck out their lower lips in identical fashion, howls of their own on the horizon. Uncle Pete and I exchanged glances and both burst out laughing.

“Moms! Daddy!” The back door burst open for a second time, and my cousin Trixie entered the kitchen, pell-mell, skidding to a stop when she saw me. “Hallie! I’m so glad you’re here!” She bent over and hugged me before I had the chance to recover from my laughter. “Oh, I have such wonderful news!” She danced from one foot to the other, much in the way her nephew had such a short while ago. The crying child, the howling dog, her brother sopping up the spilt milk; all these she totally ignored, her face wreathed in happy smiles.

“Trixie, you were supposed to wait for us…” Tall, slender Honey Wheeler, Trixie’s best friend entered the kitchen at a more sedate pace, two male forms close behind. “Good grief, what’s going on here?” she demanded, taking in the chaos around the table.

“The kids wanted to come for Grandmoms’ dessert,” Mart explained, tossing a handful of soaked paper towels into the sink.

“There was an accident.” Diana smiled serenely and placed a gentle hand over Max’s still open mouth. “Hush now.” To my amazement, the boy’s tears magically stopped.

“Uncle Jim! Uncle Dan!” Graydon and Connor switched their attention from the dog to the men who had followed Honey into the kitchen and began their launch routine once again.

“Doesn’t anyone want to hear our news?” Trixie asked loudly over the babble of voices that ensued.

“Auntie Trix, we have ‘nother auntie. Auntie Hallie!” Max announced just as loudly, his tears long forgotten.

“She was my cousin long before she was your auntie, young man.” Trixie chuckled and kissed him soundly on the cheek. He grinned impudently at her, she grinned back and they both rubbed noses.

“I want to hear your news, Auntie Trix,” he said earnestly. “Hey! _Auntie Trix has news!”_ he yelled, and everyone stopped and turned to look expectantly at him. Once again, I was amazed at the power of those little lungs.

“Thank you, Maxwell.” Trixie ruffled his dark curls affectionately and he beamed.

“Before you start, Trixie, maybe we should take a minute and greet Hallie?” Jim Frayne, the man I had come to Sleepyside to work for, suggested with a grin. I took one look at my cousin’s excited face and held up my hands.

“No way. I’ll keep, but I don’t think Trixie will. She’ll burst if she doesn’t tell us what’s going on.” I gave her a wink and she smiled gratefully at me. There had been a time when Trixie and I were constantly at loggerheads, too alike for our own good. As teenagers whenever we were thrown together, it was like oil and water. She said black and I said white, at least most of the time. There had been moments, I must admit, when I thought Trixie was the only one who could understand me. I suddenly acknowledged that there was a part of me that was looking forward to getting to know my cousin as an adult.

“Tell us your news, sweetie,” Aunt Helen urged, taking her seat at the table once again. None of the chaos seemed to affect her; she took it all in stride. I marveled at the woman’s aplomb, but then remembered all the adventures and misadventures that had coloured my cousins’ youth. Aunt Helen had experience with chaos. Lots of experience.

“Well…” Trixie took a deep breath and exchanged glances with Jim, who stood beside me. He smiled at her in encouragement. “Jim has asked me to marry him, and I accepted,” she announced and thrust her hand out to show off a beautiful, sparkling diamond solitaire.

“Finally!” Mart whooped.

“Oh, Trixie!” Diana squealed in delight.

Mayhem reigned once again as congratulations, hugs and kisses were shared all around. Aunt Helen tried surreptitiously to wipe at the happy tears that were rolling from the corners of her eyes, while Uncle Pete beamed proudly as he slapped Jim on the back. It had been a long time coming, this proposal of Jim’s. He and Trixie had been in love for half their lives, and it seemed that now that both their careers were taking shape, it was time to get their personal lives in order. I was happy for my cousin, but at the same time, saddened when I thought of what could have been in my own life.

“But that’s not all!” Trixie said excitedly. She was now snuggled under Jim’s arm, her cheeks flushed with excitement. What else was she about to spring upon us? Knowing Trix, it could be anything.

“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Bobby demanded bluntly.

“Robert!” Aunt Helen whacked him a good one on the arm and he had the grace to look abashed. Uncle Pete just rolled his eyes and I almost burst into giggles as I saw the thought hit him in mid-roll that maybe his youngest son could be right. Horror was too tame a word for the look that appeared in his dark eyes. But I had to give him credit; he didn’t say a word.

“Of course I’m not!” Trixie sighed in exasperation. “It’s about the wedding.”

“The wedding?” Mart echoed, his sandy eyebrows knitting together in puzzlement.

“You’ve already planned the wedding?” Aunt Helen demanded and I saw just a bit of her aplomb fade. The thought that she might not have a hand in the preparations of her only daughter’s big day shadowed her sparkling eyes with dismay.

“Not really, Moms,” Trixie assured her hastily, obviously seeing the same thing that I was. “We’ve only decided on two things for sure. First, we’re going to get married in the fall. This fall.” She held out a hand to Honey. “And second? Honey and I are going to have a double wedding.”

“A double wedding? This fall? Oh my!” Aunt Helen leaned back in her chair and blinked a few times. “Honey?” She looked at the girl who was like a second daughter to her.

“Dan asked me to marry him last night, and I accepted,” Honey said shyly, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

“You did it!” Mart turned and slapped his best friend on the back, giving the signal for chaos to reign once again.

Dan and Honey. Now _that_ had the ability to surprise me. I had always thought Honey would marry my cousin, Brian. They had always seemed so right together: Brian so quiet and serious, Honey so calm and serene. They dated for a long while through high school and the beginning of college, but then had gone their separate ways, remaining close friends. This much I knew from the infrequent letters I exchanged with Trixie. I had not known that Dan and Honey had even been dating; never mind getting to the point of marriage!

Dan Mangan. Many years ago, during one of my summer stays at Crabapple Farm, Dan and I had mutual crushes on each other. I guess you’d call it my first summer romance. We shared an adventure, one of Trixie’s mysteries, handholding, and a few kisses out behind the barn, but that was it. I liked Dan. I liked his sardonic wit, his slight cynicism, his way of thinking before speaking – which was something I could never seem to do. He’d had a tougher life than most of his other close friends, and it showed sometimes. Dan was not the most open of people. But this evening, as he moved to put his arm around his golden fiancée, the love he felt for her was plain on his angular and handsome face.

I felt the envy rise in me again and sternly told myself to stop. I had come to Sleepyside to get a new start, to put everything behind me, to get out of the apathetic and pitiful rut my life had become. This was definitely not the way to do it. Taking myself firmly in hand, I joined in the excited babble of conversation around me.

“How about I break open a couple of bottles of wine to toast the occasion?” Uncle Pete asked a short while later. Bobby had taken the little boys off to the family room to watch videos, leaving only the adults in the kitchen.

“I’ll get the glasses.” Trixie jumped up.

“Use the good crystal, Trixie,” Aunt Helen called after her as she followed her father from the room.

Before long, we were all seated around the huge kitchen table, glasses in hand, looking expectantly at my uncle.

“Trixie and Jim. Honey and Dan.” He smiled fondly at both couples. “Helen and I have watched the four of you over the years. Watched as you turned from teenagers filled with hopes and dreams into young men and women making those hopes and dreams reality. That you two, Trixie and Honey, have chosen to share your most special day with each other indicates the depth of that friendship that was begun so many years ago.” He paused and exchanged glances with Aunt Helen, and I wondered if they were remembering the hoydenish tomboy Trixie had been and the shy, pale, rich girl that Honey once was. I knew I was.

“And Jim, there’s no one we’d rather have as a son-in-law. The day that Trixie and Honey found you again, at the Smith farm was a wonderful day for us all.” He grinned as Jim began to blush. “And Dan…”

We never got to hear what he was going to say about Dan, for at that moment, the back door opened once again. We all turned to see the eldest Belden child standing there with a smile on his handsome face, a young woman at his side.

“Brian!” Aunt Helen’s eyes lit with pleasure. “We weren’t expecting you tonight!” she exclaimed, getting to her feet and going to hug him.

“Son, you’re just in time for the party.” Uncle Pete grinned at the son that resembled him the most.

The rest of the family got to their feet to greet the newest arrival. There was a whoop from the direction of the family room and a moment later, the three tornadoes swept back into the room as they rushed to mob their uncle. Bobby appeared right behind them, shrugging his shoulders in helplessness. I don’t think he could have stopped them if he’d wanted to. I will give him credit for grabbing on to Goofball’s collar before the dog could join the melee.

I watched as excited Beldens, Jim and Dan greeted the last member of the family to arrive at the homestead. I kept a curious eye on the girl at Brian’s side. She was a short girl, barely Trixie’s height, with a close-cropped cap of medium brown hair. Her brown eyes darted from face to face almost nervously as she hovered close to Brian’s side. She was pretty in a pixie-like sort of way, with fine features and odd, almost flyaway eyebrows. She noticed me studying her and offered a small, shy smile, which I was quick to return. I knew what it was like to be overwhelmed by this family and I felt a little sorry for her, whoever she was.

“Brian, we have the most wonderful news!” Trixie said as the greetings finally began to calm.

“We have a new auntie, Uncle Brian!” Graydon announced, pointing over to me, and I stifled a giggle. That was not what Trixie was talking about, I was sure.

“And a dog. We have a dog now!” Connor added, just as excitedly.

“I see where I fit in the whole scheme of things,” I said in a wry aside to Bobby who had sunk into the chair next to me.

“Brian, why don’t you introduce us to your friend before Trixie tells you her news?” Aunt Helen smiled at her son and the woman at his side. “We don’t mean to be rude, but it’s been quite the exciting evening around here. I’m Helen, Brian’s mother,” she introduced herself, taking the woman’s hand in hers.

“I’m Evelyn,” came the shy reply, and I was surprised to hear a British accent. “My friends call me Evie.”

“Moms. Dad. Everyone. This is Evie,” Brian began with a reassuring smile at the girl beside him. He put his arm around her petite shoulders. “Evie Belden. We got married a week ago.”

 _ **That’s**_ when all hell broke loose in the Crabapple Farm kitchen.  



	3. Ravings or Reveries - Hallie's Blog - April 20

**  
April 20   
**

Well, I made it to New York safe and sound. Thanks for all your good thoughts and vibes. Didn’t even get a speeding ticket! *BAG*

I’m settling in here at my aunt’s for a couple of weeks. My cousin, Trixie, managed to find me an apartment, but it’s not going to be available until the first of May. She also found me some office space, right across the hall from her own new office. She’s been a busy gal, my cousin. Not only has she been running around for me, but she and her partner have been getting their detective agency up and running – they got their first case yesterday, as a matter of fact. She’s also been busy getting engaged. Engaged to the fellow I’m out here working for. It’s been a really long time coming, but they both wanted to get their respective careers in gear before embarking on a marriage. I don’t know if I could have waited that long.

At the same time, her partner has become engaged to a guy I used to have a crush on and the four of them are planning a double wedding. Honey, that’s her partner, is from a very wealthy family, and is also the sister of the man Trixie is marrying. Oh, his name is Jim. And Honey’s intended is Dan. They’ve all been friends for years and years, along with Trixie’s two older brothers and her sister-in-law. This double wedding is going to be quite the event to plan, I’m thinking, and I’m wondering how Trixie is going to deal with it. A big splash never seemed to me to be her type of thing.

But that actually was not the biggest bit of excitement. Trixie’s oldest brother, Brian, came home with a new bride the same day that I arrived, and Trixie and Honey announced their engagements. No one had any idea he had even been seeing anyone! To make matters worse – well, worse in the eyes of some people – this is a girl that he met online. _**Yes, he met her on the internet.**_ Her name is Evelyn…Evie, and she comes from England. Don’t ask me about the citizenship stuff, because I have no idea how that works. All I know is that Brian appears to be head over heels for her and she for him. Which is a good thing for newlyweds to be, I have to admit.

Evie’s a nice girl. Quiet and reserved, especially when the whole gang’s around. I don’t think that either Honey or Trixie quite know what to think about her. Trixie’s scenting a mystery about her, I think, simply because of the way Brian met her. And Trix with a mystery is like a dog with a bone. At least Aunt Helen and Uncle Pete seem to have accepted her. They’re a little baffled by Brian’s behavior, because he was always the responsible one, doing everything by the book, doing the right thing. That he went off and married a girl he met on the internet is one thing; the fact that he did it without telling anyone is nothing like his normal modus operandi. Personally, I say more power to him!

It’s been so crazy around here with all that’s going on that I haven’t had the chance really to sit and think about my own situation. Maybe that’s a good thing? But, I will admit that when I’m faced with all the couples around here right now, all the _young love_ that’s in the air, sometimes it makes me want to toss my cookies. But that’s not fair of me. I just haven’t gotten over my own rotten experiences in the realm of love and frankly, I get envious and jealous when I see it all around me. They’re all so disgustingly happy with each other, and here I am, sitting on the outside yet again. I have to bite my tongue sometimes, not to let loose some sarcastic or cynical comment about the whole situation. Bitchy Hallie has been trying to rear her ugly head, but so far I’ve managed to keep her under control… *Sigh* Is there something about me that’s inherently unlovable? I have visions of growing old, with only Mart’s triplets to keep me company. *RME*

Sounds like another pity party coming on, and I promised Cap I wouldn’t do that anymore. That’s a promise that’s getting hard to keep, especially at night when I can’t sleep. Well, I have to hope that it will be easier when I get into my own place and can get started on my work for Jim’s school. I have walked up the hill to Ten Acres a couple of times since I’ve arrived, trying to get a feel for the place. I have a couple of ideas to sketch out, something I might to do tonight if I can motivate myself.

All in all, I think I made the right decision coming out here, despite all the romance in the air rubbing me the wrong way. Once things settle down into a routine and I can really get involved in the school, I won’t have time to wonder about when it will be my turn, if ever. I have a career to worry about and a reputation to make. I just have to convince myself that love goes on the back burner for a while.

There’s Aunt Helen calling me for supper…I’d better go. I’ll keep you posted on things as they happen here. At least some of my apathy has left me. This place doesn’t let you sit on the sidelines for long. It should be very interesting for the next little while.


End file.
